Quick Spicy Poke with Avocado and Sriracha

Ever since I was 12, I have flirted with some form of vegan or vegetarian eating habit. Do not get me wrong, I absolutely love the flavors of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. As a home chef and a professional caterer, I have played with about a million dishes and techniques that highlight meat beautifully. It’s delicious! My flirting with the plant based diets has no philosophical background, honestly. I think it has more to do with listening to my body. What makes my belly happy is a big deal. I want to not feel sluggish, cloudy, puffy, or achy…no thank you. So a plant based diet is pretty darn appealing.

I say flirting with vegan or vegetarian diets because I just cannot seem to walk away from my all time favorite: fish. I was practically raised in LA sushi restaurants, and I just cannot shake my addiction. Thankfully, it is an addiction that my whole family can get behind, so I can work it into my line-up of quick midweek meals for the dinner table! That makes me do the happy dance!

I always start any of my seared or raw ahi dishes with flash frozen wild ahi. You essentially want it to have been caught and then frozen right there on the boat! I always find it easier to make beautiful slices through the fish if I let it become semi-friddo. I want it to still be frozen, but on its way to thawing. This allows for your knife to cleanly cut through the fish with ease. Just cut it into slices, then stack your slices to cut then into cubes. I love my poke in a tiny cube, about a 1/4″ cut is perfect.

I love this recipe because it is a simple cut-it-up-and-dump-it-into-a-bowl kinda recipe. In a non-reactive bowl (aka glass or ceramic), toss the fish with 4 chopped scallions, 1 tsp of sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons of chili sesame oil, 3 teaspoons of soy sauce and a good drizzle of olive oil. I like to sub out the soy sauce for some Tamari, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, just to keep this a happy gluten free dish. Besides, the liquid aminos add even more nutrition!

Give everything a good toss and let it sit for a minute to marinate while you move onto slicing up some beautiful California avocados.

Cutting up the avocado into slices will give your meal that fancy restaurant feel 😉

I love avocado so much, that I practically dish this baby up with almost an entire half of avocado per person! But you can easily split an avocado to feed four and still get the perfect balance.

To serve, I love to plate up some plump calrose rice, then pile it high with my poke topped with avocado and a healthy drizzle of sriracha. I am kinda a spicy girl, so I gotta have my heat! In terms of cooking time, you could start your rice first while your ahi steaks are on the counter thawing to a semi-frozen condition. Then the rice cooks away while you assemble the rest of the dish. Quick, easy and delicious!

Bon appetit! I hope this makes your week even more beautiful!

xoxo
Chanda-Panda

Print

Quick Spicy Poke with Avocado and Sriracha

Prep Time

20mins

A quick midweek meal that is healthy and simple to make.

Course:
Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine:
Hawaii, Japanese

Servings: 4people

Ingredients

1lbfrozen Ahi, semi frozen and chopped into 1/4" cubes

3scallions, chopped

1tspsesame seeds (black or white)

2tspschili sesame oil

3tspssoy sauce, Tamari, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

2tbspsolive oil

1avocado, sliced

Calrose rice (optional for serving)

Sriracha (optional for serving)

Instructions

First start by putting your frozen ahi steaks on the counter to come to a semi-frozen condition. This will make slicing the fish easier.

If you are making rice, begin that process first, according to package instruction. I tend to make about 2 cups of dry rice for serving 4 people. I always rinse the calrose before I start to cook it on the stovetop or in a rice cooker.

Once your fish is starting to thaw the tiniest bit, slice it up into 1/4" slices. It should still be pretty stiff and not floppy. Then, stack the slices to cut then into 1/4" cubes. Toss the fish into a non reactive bowl, either glass or ceramic works great.

Along with the fish, add the scallions, sesame seeds, chili sesame oil, soy sauce, and olive oil. Give it a good toss.

To serve, pile the rice onto a plate, top with the tuna poke, and then fan out slices of avocado on top. Drizzle with some Sriracha, if so inclined, and devour!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Recipe Rating

Search

Zest it Up is a lifestyle company focused on turning everyday into special moments through DIY, great food and beautiful design. We are Sam and Chanda, the creators and Zestors behind Zest it Up.
READ MORE